Skagway historic commission begins discussion of lighted 'open' signs, plans historic-sign guidance

Commissioners with the Skagway Municipality Historic District Commission opened a discussion May 19, 2025, about possible guidance for illuminated signage after public and assembly attention to ordinance 2501 (referred to in the meeting as "25 0 1"). The commission did not adopt a policy at the meeting but agreed to research period-appropriate alternatives and put a signage-guidance item on a future agenda.

Commissioner Charity Pomeroy framed the conversation by citing existing municipal code language she said already constrains lighted signage: "no lighted sign shall cause undue clarity on the property line or adversely affect the safety safe vision of motor vehicle operations or pedestrians, and no sign shall have blinking, flashing, rotating, or other illuminating devices, which have a changing light intensity," she said. Pomeroy also reviewed historical timing for illuminated signs as part of the commission's effort to define what would be "period appropriate": "The first commercially used lighted sign was 1912, which is beyond, it it was invented in 1910, put out for availability in 1911. 1912 was the first time it was used commercially, neon signage, I'm talking about, and that was in France. It took until 1923," she said.

Members discussed a range of creative, period-aligned options to give businesses a visible "open" indicator without relying on modern neon tubes or blinking signs. Commissioner Rosemary Liebert and others suggested options such as bulb-outline signs (small bulbs around an "open" plaque) or stretched banners in historically appropriate locations. One commissioner suggested researching and offering businesses several designs rooted in Skagway's period of significance (referred to in the meeting as "'97 and about 1910").

The commission also heard that a local historian named Carl has materials on historic lighted signs and would assemble a monograph. Commissioner Will Lockett said he would place the item on the next meeting agenda and asked commissioners to research options before that meeting: "With your permission, I'll put that on the agenda for the next meeting, if that would be acceptable to other commissioners." There was informal support around the table for developing options that would allow businesses to be visible to tourists while maintaining historic character. No formal motion or vote was recorded on policy at the May 19 meeting.

Commissioners emphasized that any guidance would need to respect both the municipal code limits on distracting illumination and the historic district's period of significance. They asked staff and the historian to return with examples and research to inform a future, formal recommendation.